Ismail Haniyeh
Ismail HaniyehAbed Rahim Khatib/Flash 90

Hamas leader Ismail Haniyeh said on Monday, on the occasion of the ninth anniversary of the Shalit deal, that the Hamas organization promises to the Palestinian people and to the security prisoners in Israeli prisons that it will reach another "respectable" exchange deal with Israel.

"While we are fighting on several fronts, the issue of the prisoners is top priority among the Palestinian resistance organizations," Haniyeh said, adding, "We are determined and adhere to the goal of achieving a new victory that will lead to the release of our prisoners."

Haniyeh congratulated Maher al-Akhras, a terrorist prisoner who has been on a hunger strike for more than 80 days, demanding his immediate and unconditional release.

"I say to prisoner Maher al-Akhras - we are all with you in this campaign, and with all our prisoners, until the chains are broken, and you return freely to your families and your homes," he said.

Israel freed more than 1,000 terrorists in 2011 in exchange for kidnapped Israeli soldier Gilad Shalit. However, many of them have since been rearrested after it was discovered that they had returned to terrorist activities after their release.

Hamas has been demanding that Israel free the terrorists who were rearrested as part of any future exchange deal.